Top 100 Cruise Ships in the World: Readers' Choice Awards 2013

View photos of the Top 100 Cruise Ships in the World, as chosen by Condé Nast Traveler's 2013 Cruise Poll

1 Arethusa

Overall Score: 97.1

2 National Geographic Explorer

Overall Score: 94.9

3 National Geographic Endeavour

Overall Score: 94.4

4 Seabourn Pride

Like her sister ships the Legend and the Spirit, the Seabourn Pride has a staff-to-passenger ratio of nearly one to one. Guests stay in 104 suites, ranging from 277 to 575 square feet; 40 percent have balconies, and all have ocean views. Drinks at the four bars and lounges are included in your fare, as are all meals, even when you choose to opt for one of the smaller restaurants over the main dining room; each has a menu created by chef Charlie Palmer. Like her sister ships (which also score in the 90s on the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Survey), the Pride has a private marina, which extends from the rear of the ship, allowing guests to enjoy water sports even at sea. The Pride gets around: In addition to world cruises, she has Baltic, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian itineraries.

Itineraries/Schedule: 96.7

Shore Excursions: 84.2

Crew/Service: 98.3

Cabins: 93.3

Food/Dining: 96.7

Activites/Facilities: 88.3

Design/Layout: 93.3

Passengers: 208

5 Seabourn Odyssey

The highest rated of Seabourn’s impressive fleet, the Seabourn Odyssey was launched in 2009 as the first of Seabourn’s trio of larger ships (the Sojourn and Quest followed in June 2010 and June 2011). Each has 225 suites, compared to 104 on the line’s earlier ships. Almost 90 percent of the cabins, which range in size from 295 to 1,189 square feet, have verandas. As with other Seabourn ships (all of which score in the 90s on Condé Nast Traveler's Readers’ Choice Survey), chef Charlie Palmer presides over the kitchens, but a new addition is the Colonnade, an indoor/outdoor restaurant where meals are prepared in an open kitchen. At 11,400 square feet, the Spa at Seabourn is one of the largest found on any luxury ship. The Odyssey spends much of the year exploring the Mediterranean (Greek Isles, Dalmatian Coast, and Turkey), but also has Fort Lauderdale-to-Los Angeles and South Pacific itineraries.

Itineraries/Schedule: 94.6

Shore Excursions: 90.9

Crew/Service: 95.7

Cabins: 96.7

Food/Dining: 97.8

Activites/Facilities: 91.1

Design/Layout: 93.5

Passengers: 450

6 Silver Explorer

Overall Score: 91.7

7 Silver Wind

Overall Score: 90.9

8 Seabourn Sojourn

Overall Score: 90.5

9 Celebrity Xpedition

Overall Score: 90.4

10 Paul Gauguin

Overall Score: 90.3

11 Seabourn Legend

Overall Score: 90.2

12 Silver Whisper

Overall Score: 89.9

13 Seven Seas Navigator

Overall Score: 89.2

Unlike Regent’s two other ships, the line’s smallest vessel, the 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator, can’t claim to be an “all-balcony” ship, but it's close: 85 percent of its staterooms have them. The Navigator underwent a thorough refurbishment in 2009, which included the addition of a contemporary steak house, Prime 7, complementing the ship’s three other dining options. Also in 2009, Canyon Ranch took the helm of the ship’s spa and fitness facilities. Since May 2011, all Regent packages have included pre-cruise hotel accommodations and ground transfers to the ship. Summer finds the ship in Alaska; fall, on the east coast of the U.S. and Canada; and in winter and spring, it sails the Caribbean.

14 Artemis

Overall Score: 89.0

15 Silver Cloud

Overall Score: 88.7

The Silver Cloud was Silversea’s first ship, launched in 1994, and it set the tone for the three ships that followed, delivering intimate luxury when much of the industry was headed in the direction of increasingly large vessels with every shop, toy, and sport a ship could hold. Suites range in size from 240 to 1,314 square feet and include a number of personalized amenities: choose your soap (Bulgari or Ferragamo) and pillow (the menu has nine choices), and there’s a minibar stocked with your preferences. The main restaurant and Le Champagne have menus created in collaboration with Relais & Châteaux. The Silver Cloud generally spends summers on European itineraries (both North Sea and Mediterranean), and winters in the Caribbean and South America.

Itineraries/Schedule: 92.6

Shore Excursions: 78.3

Crew/Service: 94.6

Cabins: 91.9

Food/Dining: 91.3

Activites/Facilities: 82.6

Design/Layout: 89.1

Passengers: 296

16 SeaDream II

Overall Score: 87.1

17 Silver Shadow

Overall Score: 86.8

18 SeaDream I

Overall Score: 86.5

19 Wind Star

Overall Score: 86.1

Windstar’s three ships are not floating hotels or malls. They are genuine sailing ships, delivering modern luxuries as well as true nautical experiences, complete with portholes. The Wind Star, like its sister Wind Spirit, is a four-masted schooner, and its compact cabins are built for both comfort and efficient use of finite space. All three Windstar schooners sail in two of the most appealing cruise regions on earth: the Caribbean in winter, and Europe and the Mediterranean in summer. Wind Star favors the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, thence through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean. In April, it repositions east to Europe (returning west in November), where its seven-day itineraries include stops from Lisbon and Barcelona to Rome and Venice, and on to Aegean ports including Athens, Istanbul, and Mykonos in the Cyclades. The six triangular, computer-operated sails are more than decorative, but wind power only supplements the engine power required to meet schedules. All 74 cabins are cozy, yet big enough for queen-size beds and hi-tech toys, as well as daily fresh fruit and flowers. Being a small ship, it has only two restaurants—one formal, one casual, both with open seating—but you can also dine under the stars at the Candles grill.

Itineraries/Schedule: 94.6

Shore Excursions: 76.5

Crew/Service: 94.1

Cabins: 80.5

Food/Dining: 91.5

Activites/Facilities: 78.6

Design/Layout: 86.2

Passengers: 148

20 WInd Surf

Overall Score: 86.1

Enormous by Windstar standards, the Wind Surf is still small by most cruise ship measures: six decks holding only 156 cabins. The Wind Surf is a sailing yacht, and its seven computer-operated, triangular sails are both decorative and efficient, adding wind power to the engines that keep the ship on schedule. Like all Windstar ships, it sails two of the most popular seas on earth: the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. It winters among several of the larger Lesser Antilles: Antigua, Martinique, St. Lucia, Dominica, and St. Barts. In spring, it repositions to Europe on a transatlantic cruise from Barbados to Lisbon, and begins itineraries in southern Europe ranging from Barcelona to Nice, Rome, and Venice. It then moves on to the Aegean for stops at Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes, and finally to Istanbul, Kuşadasi, and Bodrum on the Turkish coast. The Wind Surf has multiple eateries and a special emphasis on fitness, with a spa and a fitness center, two pools and two hot tubs, and a water sports platform at the stern from which you can kayak, windsurf, or water-ski.

Itineraries/Schedule: 92.1

Shore Excursions: 72.3

Crew/Service: 91.4

Cabins: 85.7

Food/Dining: 89.3

Activites/Facilities: 80.4

Design/Layout: 90.6

Passengers: 312

21 Crystal Symphony

Along with the slightly larger Serenity, the service and amenities aboard the 461-cabin Crystal Symphony have sufficiently impressed Condé Nast Traveler readers that they have voted Crystal the world’s best large-ship cruise line in a record 17 Readers’ Choice surveys. Symphony was the first of the line’s two ships to go under the knife: a multimillion-dollar renovation completed in 2009 gave the ship a more contemporary feel. The Symphony and the Serenity have the same lineup of dining venues, including Silk Road (under the direction of celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa) and restaurateur Piero Selvaggio’s Prego. The Symphony will be spending summer 2011 on North America’s West Coast and summer 2012 in Europe; in fall foliage season, it can often be found off the New England and eastern Canadian coasts. Itineraries after March 2012 are all-inclusive, with complimentary wine and spirits and prepaid gratuities.

Itineraries/Schedule: 93.2

Shore Excursions: 89.2

Crew/Service: 96.0

Cabins: 90.0

Food/Dining: 94.4

Activites/Facilities: 91.5

Design/Layout: 94.6

Passengers: 922

22 Crystal Serenity

The 535-cabin Crystal Serenity underwent an extensive renovation in May 2011, with new bedding and updated decor (tufted headboards and state-of-the-art lighting), which brought it up to par with the Symphony, its slightly smaller sister ship. Both ships have Creative Learning Institutes, with course offerings from language classes to keyboard lessons, which help earn the line some of the industry’s highest scores for activities among Condé Nast Traveler readers. New in 2011 on both ships are “Perfect Choice Dining,” which provides passengers with flexible dining times in the main restaurant, and the "You Care, We Care" program, in which Crystal covers the expenses of their new voluntourism-focused shore excursions. In addition to world cruises, the Serenity can often be found in the Baltic early in the summer, the Mediterranean in late summer and fall, and the Caribbean in winter. Itineraries after March 2012 are all-inclusive, with complimentary wine and spirits and prepaid gratuities.

Itineraries/Schedule: 93.3

Shore Excursions: 87.3

Crew/Service: 96.6

Cabins: 89.6

Food/Dining: 96.6

Activites/Facilities: 93.3

Design/Layout: 95.6

Passengers: 1,070

23 Seven Seas Voyager

The highest rated of Regent Seven Seas’ ships, the Seven Seas Voyager may bill itself as the second “all-suite, all-balcony” ship and the second vessel to have a restaurant operated by Le Cordon Bleu (the first ship, in both cases, being her sister the Mariner), but the Voyager is first in terms of the size of its staterooms. With the smallest measuring 356 square feet, the ship has the largest “lead-in” suites in the industry. The Voyager was renovated in December 2008, and new additions include the Prime 7 steak house and a Canyon Ranch–branded spa. The Voyager is always on the move, from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, though in summer she can often be found in the Mediterranean or Scandinavia.

Itineraries/Schedule: 95.8

Shore Excursions: 84.4

Crew/Service: 95.8

Cabins: 95.8

Food/Dining: 93.2

Activites/Facilities: 89.2

Design/Layout: 94.3

Passengers: 700

24 Seven Seas Mariner

The Seven Seas Mariner was launched in 2001 as the world’s first “all-suite, all-balcony” ship and has been regularly refurbished since then. All three Regent ships underwent a $70 million “enhancement” in 2009, which included the addition of a contemporary steak house, Prime 7. That same year, the cruise line began its partnership with Canyon Ranch, which oversees the ship’s spa and fitness area. Since April 2011, all Regent packages have included pre-cruise hotel accommodations and ground transfers to the ship. From April to November, the Mariner sails Mediterranean itineraries; in March and November she makes Atlantic crossings; in the winter and spring, she starts in the Caribbean and does a circumnavigation of South America.

Itineraries/Schedule: 93.8

Shore Excursions: 81.9

Crew/Service: 94.2

Cabins: 92.7

Food/Dining: 90.5

Activites/Facilities: 90.0

Design/Layout: 89.6

Passengers: 700

25 Silver Spirit

Overall Score: 88.2

26 Regatta

The Regatta was Oceania’s very first ship, launched in 1998 and refurbished in 2011. It set the tone for the line—a luxury product on mid-sized ships at competitive prices. Like its sister ship the Nautica, the Regatta has 342 staterooms as well as four dining venues under the direction of Jacques Pépin. Also like the other Oceania vessels, it has collaborated with Canyon Ranch since 2009—the spa menu ventures beyond the standard therapeutic offerings to include acupuncture, Ayurveda, and reiki. This year, the Regatta will mark some firsts for the Oceania line when it sails to Alaska in the summer and the coasts of New England and eastern Canada in the fall.

Itineraries/Schedule: 93.8

Shore Excursions: 65.9

Crew/Service: 95.9

Cabins: 90.7

Food/Dining: 96.6

Activites/Facilities: 77.7

Design/Layout: 93.4

Passengers: 684

27 Nautica

Overall Score: 87.6

28 Azamara Journey

Overall Score: 87.3

29 Azamara Quest

Overall Score: 87.3

30 Eurodam

Overall Score: 86.2

31 Serenade of the Seas

Overall Score: 85.9

32 Noordam

Overall Score: 85.2

33 Island Princess

Overall Score: 85.1

34 Queen Elizabeth

Overall Score: 84.6

35 Pacific Princess

Overall Score: 84.4

36 Coral Princess

Overall Score: 83.5

37 Zaandam

Overall Score: 83.5

38 Ocean Princess

Overall Score: 83.4

39 Queen Victoria

Overall Score: 84.5

Though it is the smallest of Cunard’s three ships, the Queen Victoria still has room for 2,014 passengers. The ship was launched in 2007, and while much of onboard life is similar to that of the other Cunard ships, including a three-tiered suites and dining program, the ship also claims a number of firsts in the cruise world: private boxes in its Royal Court Theatre, a museum dedicated to the Cunard line, a two-story library with 6,000 books, and a fencing program. As with other Cunard ships, Anglophilic guests can head to the Golden Lion Pub for a pint or the Queen’s Room for white-gloved afternoon tea. While the Queen Victoria spends much of each year in the Mediterranean, it also travels through the Panama Canal on voyages departing from Fort Lauderdale, and to Hawaii on trips departing from Los Angeles.

Itineraries/Schedule: 90.3

Shore Excursions: 80.0

Crew/Service: 89.3

Cabins: 80.6

Food/Dining: 81.6

Activites/Facilities: 83.2

Design/Layout: 86.4

Passengers: 2,000

40 Disney Magic

Overall Score: 89.9

41 Disney Wonder

One of the Disney Cruise Line’s first two ships, the Disney Wonderdebuted in 1999, a year after her sister ship, the Magic. As with the Magic, the Wonder celebrates Disney characters and the artists who created them. The ship’s godmother was Tinkerbell, while all Disney ships include Animator’s Palate restaurants, whose interiors are decorated with sketches of characters and feature columns and walls at impossible fun-house angles. A show starring costumed cast members is the highlight of dinner. (Passengers who want a break from all the family fun can head to the adults-only Remy for French or Palo for Italian.) In 2011, the Wonder began offering Alaska itineraries in the summer; she sails in the Bahamas and along the Mexican Riviera in the fall and winter.

Itineraries/Schedule: 86.3

Shore Excursions: 79.4

Crew/Service: 95.6

Cabins: 90.4

Food/Dining: 84.1

Activites/Facilities: 91.8

Design/Layout: 93.4

Passengers: 2,700

42 Disney Dream

Overall Score: 89.5

43 Celebrity Eclipse

Overall Score: 88.6

44 Celebrity Equinox

The Celebrity Equinox is the second of the fleet’s top-of-the-line Solstice-class ships, the most remarkable feature of which is the half-acre lawn on the top deck, covered with real grass, where passengers picnic, lounge, and play croquet or bocce. Fort Lauderdale is its home port for winter cruises in the Caribbean, from Mexico to Barbados; Rome is home in summer for Mediterranean cruises; and two 14-night “repositioning” transatlantic cruises connect the two cities in April and November. The two-week cruises are the only option if you want to test all ten onboard dining venues. Three of them—Continental, Asian, and Italian kitchens—promise extra-special food and service for extra fees. The main dining room is a dramatic draw, however; it’s white and glittering, with a two-story wine rack at the center. A Mediterranean restaurant is only available to passengers who stay in the spa-class cabins, which also include free access to steam rooms and saunas.

Itineraries/Schedule: 94.3

Shore Excursions: 72.0

Crew/Service: 94.3

Cabins: 91.5

Food/Dining: 84.8

Activites/Facilities: 87.4

Design/Layout: 92.4

Passengers: 2,850

45 Queen Mary 2

Overall Score: 87.0

46 Celebrity Solstice

Overall Score: 86.2

47 Disney Fantasy

Overall Score: 84.8

48 Oasis of the Seas

Overall Score: 83.7

49 Emerald Princess

Overall Score: 82.7

50 Liberty of the Seas

Overall Score: 82.7

51 Independence of the Seas

Overall Score: 82.3

52 Freedom of the Seas

Overall Score: 82.1

53 Diamond Princess

Overall Score: 82.0

54 Star Princess

Overall Score: 80.5

The Star Princess and its nearly identical sisters, the Grand and Golden Princesses, are slightly smaller than the fleet’s more modern ships. They debuted around the turn of the century, but Princess has retrofitted each with popular new features, including a poolside screen showing first-run movies, concerts, and sports events (they hand out popcorn and blankets in the evenings), and an adults-only deck area with massage cabanas. The ship also has four distinct swimming pools: one with the movie screen, one covered, one with a current, and a peaceful aft pool with expansive sea views on deck 12, which is otherwise devoted to cabins. The hard-to-find Oasis bar is worth the hunt for its plunge pool and two hot tubs.

Itineraries/Schedule: 87.4

Shore Excursions: 71.9

Crew/Service: 85.7

Cabins: 79.6

Food/Dining: 78.0

Activites/Facilities: 78.2

Design/Layout: 82.3

Passengers: 2,590

55 Allure of the Seas

Overall Score: 81.6

56 Sapphire Princess

Overall Score: 83.0

Condé Nast Traveler readers give high marks to the Sapphire Princess’s itineraries, which take it to Alaska in the summer, then Hawaii and the South Pacific in the cooler months, on sailings that last up to 28 days. More than half the cabins have balconies, the better to see the fjords and glaciers of the Inside Passage. However, the Sapphire lacks some of the fleet’s recent features, such as the poolside movie screen. Its dining system differs as well: The four main dining rooms have different themes and decor, but the same menu from the same kitchen, so that passengers who don’t choose traditional set seating times can experience a little environmental variety. A high-tech entertainment lounge called Club Fusion has multiple flat-screen TVs and space for games, performances, and late-night dancing. What it lacks is lower-tech panoramic views, but you’ll find those aplenty at the parties in the top-deck Skywalkers lounge.

Itineraries/Schedule: 87.0

Shore Excursions: 80.2

Crew/Service: 86.3

Cabins: 82.4

Food/Dining: 80.9

Activites/Facilities: 80.5

Design/Layout: 83.2

Passengers: 2,670

57 Ruby Princess

Overall Score: 80.3

58 Golden Princess

Overall Score: 79.8

59 Voyager of the Seas

Overall Score: 79.7

60 (River Cruises) Provence

Overall Score: 98.1

61 River Allegro

Overall Score: 97.7

62 River Adagio

Overall Score: 90.2

Large for a river cruise ship, the River Adagio designed to cruise on the widest downriver stretches of the Danube, from Budapest east to the Black Sea. You’ll want to be on the open-air sundeck when the Adagio reaches the famous Iron Gate gorge separating Serbia and Romania. Identical to the Aria, which also cruises the Danube, the Adagio has four decks carrying 164 passengers. All cabins are exterior; none have double beds, but some have balconies and all have big windows that, when you’re not on the sundeck, deliver open-air panoramas of the plains and bluffs of southern Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The ship’s size allows more generous public spaces and facilities, including a sauna.

Itineraries/Schedule: 95.7

Shore Excursions: 91.3

Crew/Service: 92.8

Cabins: 83.8

Food/Dining: 92.6

Activites/Facilities: 86.8

Design/Layout: 88.2

Passengers: 164

63 Chardonnay

Overall Score: 95.7

64 S.S. Antoinette

Overall Score: 95.5

65 River Concerto

Overall Score: 91.1

One of several sister ships, the long, low River Concerto has Grand Circle’s signature look: white paint, blue trim, lots of big windows. It surpasses its sisters, however, because three times a year it embarks on Grand Circle’s most ambitious European cruise: a 26-day itinerary from Amsterdam to Bucharest via the Rhine, the Main, and the Danube rivers (plus a canal or two). You glide past the shores of nine countries, with stops at ports including Cologne, Nuremberg, Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade. The 70 cabins are designed for comfort (except, perhaps, for the immovable twin beds), with full bathrooms, ample storage, and great views. Some have balconies, but on clear days, passengers gather on the rooftop sundeck for full panoramas of the passing old-world river towns, castles, and farmlands.

Itineraries/Schedule: 97.4

Shore Excursions: 92.3

Crew/Service: 100.0

Cabins: 79.5

Food/Dining: 94.7

Activites/Facilities: 82.1

Design/Layout: 92.1

Passengers: 140

66 Bizet

Overall Score: 95.0

67 River Beatrice

The River Beatrice debuted in March 2009, and Condé Nast Traveler readers have already rated it the world’s best river ship. Eighty percent of its 80 staterooms have French balconies (only the 13 cabins on the lowest of its three decks do not). Most staterooms are 150 square feet, decorated in stylized floral patterns and crisp whites and beiges, while suites measure 225 square feet. The fare at the restaurant, on the Danube Deck, draws inspiration from Austrian and Hungarian cuisine, appropriate given that the ship’s itineraries follow the Danube from Budapest to Linz, Germany, with a day in Salzburg (reached via bus).

Itineraries/Schedule: 96.5

Shore Excursions: 96.5

Crew/Service: 94.2

Cabins: 91.9

Food/Dining: 93.0

Activites/Facilities: 89.5

Design/Layout: 92.9

Passengers: 160

68 Viking Prestige

Overall Score: 94.6

69 River Queen

One of Uniworld’s older ships, the River Queen was launched in 1999 and can boast some river cruise ship firsts, including the first elevator and the first ship to be constructed with three decks and a Sun Deck (now common to many Uniworld ships). While the River Queen was refurbished in 2005, it retains its distinct riverboat profile, recalling vintage steamships, while the decor in the common areas plays on Art Deco themes in blue and white. Standard staterooms measure 151 square feet, while suites are approximately 65 square feet larger. Most of the year, the ship sails the “European Jewels” itinerary, from Amsterdam to Budapest along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers.

Itineraries/Schedule: 100.0

Shore Excursions: 100.0

Crew/Service: 97.2

Cabins: 87.3

Food/Dining: 94.4

Activites/Facilities: 97.1

Design/Layout: 95.8

Passengers: 132

70 River Ambassador

Overall Score: 87.0

The River Ambassador was the first ship built by the Uniworld line (it debuted in 1993) and was most recently refurbished in 2011. All staterooms face the water and are divided over two decks, with 30 rooms on each. During the day, life on board the ship revolves around the main lounge with panoramic windows, on the Rhine Deck, while meals are served below, on the Moselle Deck. Included in the fare is Wi-Fi Internet access, as well as bicycles and walking sticks in port. The ship travels principally through Germany, with much of the year devoted to the new ten-day “Treasures of Prague, the Rhine and Main” itineraries. (The ship itself, however, doesn’t travel to Prague; instead, passengers travel by bus to and from nearby Nuremburg.)

Itineraries/Schedule: 92.9

Shore Excursions: 90.5

Crew/Service: 95.2

Cabins: 73.8

Food/Dining: 85.7

Activites/Facilities: 85.4

Design/Layout: 85.7

Passengers: 120

71 River Princess

Overall Score: 94.1

72 River Harmony

Overall Score: 93.9

73 River Aria

Overall Score: 93.5

74 River Countess

Overall Score: 93.3

75 Viking Helvetia

Overall Score: 93.3

76 Viking Legend

The one thing that distinguishes the 189-passenger Viking Legend (and the Viking Prestige) from Viking River Cruises’ other ships won’t be obvious when you first step aboard. In 2009, when the Legend joined the Viking fleet, it was outfitted with a propulsion system that increased fuel efficiency by 20 percent (a green first in the industry) and provided for a quieter cruise. The ship has two 310-square-foot suites, while most staterooms measure 155 square feet; those on the upper two (of three) decks have French balconies. Solo travelers may want to consider one of the Legend's five single berths. All cabins are stocked with L’Occitane products and furnished with flat-screen TVs. The Legend sails between Passau and Budapest (or, on a longer trip, between Nuremberg and Budapest) along Europe’s most legendary river, the Danube.

Itineraries/Schedule: 95.1

Shore Excursions: 94.8

Crew/Service: 95.1

Cabins: 87.1

Food/Dining: 88.6

Activites/Facilities: 87.8

Design/Layout: 91.3

Passengers: 189

77 Tikhi Don

Overall Score: 92.9

78 River Baroness

Overall Score: 92.3

79 River Melody

Overall Score: 92.3

80 Viking Neptune

Overall Score: 92.3

81 Viking Emerald

Overall Score: 92.0

82 River Empress

Overall Score: 88.1

The 67 cabins on the River Empress (inaugurated in 2001) are spread over three decks, with the 22 on the Rhine Deck having French balconies. The ship’s life is also concentrated on the Rhine Deck, with the main lounge at the prow and the restaurant aft. Free laundry and daily newspapers have been offered since 2010 as extra amenities to passengers in the four suites; all cabins have flat-screen TVs and L’Occitane products. The ship spends most of the year sailing its 15-day “European Jewels” itinerary, from Amsterdam to Budapest, with spring sailings along the Rhine and December sailings on the Danube that stop at five of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets.

Itineraries/Schedule: 91.7

Shore Excursions: 93.1

Crew/Service: 93.1

Cabins: 81.9

Food/Dining: 84.7

Activites/Facilities: 85.9

Design/Layout: 86.1

Passengers: 134

83 Viking Pride

Overall Score: 89.0

The 150-passenger Viking Pride has three identical sisters: the Europe, the Neptune, and the Spirit. The 75 staterooms on each are outside with river views, while the top two categories also have large picture windows that open. All measure 170 square feet, except for the 12 in category E, which are 120 square feet. As is true of all the ships in the line, excursions, from touring the Dutch Paleis Het Loo to attending an organ recital at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau, are included in the fare. The Pride will be spending 2011 sailing the Danube, including the 15-day Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest; in 2012, she’ll be found on the Seine, in Paris and Normandy.

Itineraries/Schedule: 95.6

Shore Excursions: 94.6

Crew/Service: 94.8

Cabins: 87.2

Food/Dining: 86.5

Activites/Facilities: 78.9

Design/Layout: 85.3

Passengers: 150

84 River Royale

One of the newer members of the Uniworld family, the River Royalewas inaugurated in 2006. As its name implies, this ship sails only French itineraries. Staterooms on the highest, Azure Deck have French balconies and are decorated in a blue-and-gold theme, while Burgundy staterooms on the deck below are, appropriately, decorated in deep red; all come stocked with L’Occitane products. While the ship is sailing, passengers spend most of their time on the Azure Deck, also the home of the reception and lounge areas, or above, on the Sun Deck. The ship travels through Burgundy and Provence, on the Saône and Rhône rivers.

Itineraries/Schedule: 95.3

Shore Excursions: 95.3

Crew/Service: 96.5

Cabins: 88.4

Food/Dining: 87.2

Activites/Facilities: 83.7

Design/Layout: 91.9

Passengers: 132

85 River Rhapsody

Overall Score: 81.5

One of several sister ships that sail Germany and the Low Countries, the long, low River Rhapsody has Grand Circle’s signature look: boxy build, white paint, blue trim, lots of big windows. The 70 cabins are designed for comfort (except, perhaps, for the immovable twin beds), with full bathrooms, ample storage, and great big windows. Some cabins have balconies, but on clear days, passengers gather up top on the sundeck for full panoramas of the passing old-world river towns, castles, and farmlands. Depending on the itinerary (Danube, Rhine, Main, Mosel), stops may include Cologne, Strasbourg, and Amsterdam, among others. Because the Rhapsody and her musical sisters mainly sail the same routes, and all their crews get high marks, you can choose your cruise based more on your availability than a preference for a particular ship.

Itineraries/Schedule: 88.9

Shore Excursions: 86.7

Crew/Service: 88.9

Cabins: 60.0

Food/Dining: 82.2

Activites/Facilities: 79.5

Design/Layout: 84.1

Passengers: 140

86 Viking Europe

Overall Score: 91.2

87 River Duchess

Overall Score: 90.7

88 Viking Fontane

Overall Score: 90.7

89 Viking Spirit

Overall Score: 89.7

The 150-passenger Viking Spirit has three identical sisters: the Europe, the Neptune, and the Pride. The 75 staterooms on each ship are outside with river views, while the top two categories of staterooms have large picture windows that open. All rooms measure 170 square feet, except for the 12 in category E, which are 120 square feet. As is true of all Viking ships, excursions on the Spirit, from touring Claude Monet’s house at Giverny to a guided walking tour of Rouen, Normandy’s historic capital, are included in the fare. The Spirit spends her time sailing the Seine between Paris and Normandy. Itineraries on the ship can be combined with sails on other Viking River Cruises ships to create a 15-day "France’s Finest" trip, extending from Avignon in the south to the beaches of Normandy in the north.

Itineraries/Schedule: 96.6

Shore Excursions: 93.9

Crew/Service: 95.1

Cabins: 85.9

Food/Dining: 87.4

Activites/Facilities: 81.3

Design/Layout: 87.4

Passengers: 150

90 River Tosca

Overall Score: 89.4

Uniworld’s 82-passenger Egypt option, the River Tosca, launched in 2009 and a year later was given a two-month makeover. While the line had been sailing the Nile for years, until then they had relied on chartered ships. Cabins (which measure over 300 square feet) have a cool classic look with large mirrors, tufted headboards, heavy drapes, nail-head-lined furniture, and conservative wallpaper, but the lobby and dining rooms are more exuberant with ornate marble floors, busts, and striking carved lanterns. On the top deck, there is an open-air pool for sunning as the ship sails down the Nile on 8- and 12-day itineraries.

Itineraries/Schedule: 92.6

Shore Excursions: 96.3

Crew/Service: 92.6

Cabins: 88.9

Food/Dining: 88.9

Activites/Facilities: 80.8

Design/Layout: 85.2

Passengers: 82

91 Viking Sun

Overall Score: 89.0

92 Rossia

Overall Score: 88.9

93 Avalon Creativity

Overall Score: 88.4

94 Viking Truvor

Overall Score: 87.6

95 Viking Helgi

Overall Score: 79.2

Originally built in 1984, the Viking Helgi was the first of Viking River Cruises’ Russian ships to be refurbished, in 2008. Along with her sisters the Kirov and Pakhomov, the Helgi has long been among the most highly rated river ships sailing in that country. The Surkov has two spacious suites measuring 290 square feet, but even most staterooms, while smaller, are still a relatively generous 161 square feet. (There are also two single cabins, measuring 75 square feet each.) There is open seating at the ship’s restaurant, and passengers can count on Russian specialties appearing on menus during the course of a sail. The Surkov sails the same "Waterways of the Czars" itinerary as theKirov, traveling between Moscow and St. Petersburg from May to October.